Philippines Diniwid Beach, Boracay

Boracay is a resort island in the Philippines famous for its beaches, crystal waters and tourist-friendly water activities. Diniwid Beach is a smaller beach located further north up the coast from the main strip and offers a more chilled vibe with a only a few beach shack bars and deck chairs in sight. Nami Resort crests the headland.

Most shots of Boracay aim to capture blue skies, white sands and aqua waters but the large volume of tourists often mean that you will need extreme patience to capture that magic postcard moment in waiting for an opening to appear in the forest of selfie poles that dominates the beach in high season. The monsoon season means lesser numbers of tourists but also the chance to shoot dramatic tropical weather skies with the palette of Boracay shifting towards deep muted greens and bluish greys. In the picture above, the monsoon is belting the coastline, moments before I was forced to take shelter. Note the un-phased locals enjoying their swim without much regard for the weather.

Boracay is reached by domestic flight from Manila with a short ride across the channel by banca. Some international airlines fly in directly to Boracay which allows you to bypass the nightmarish gauntlet of Manila's international and domestic airports.